for Developing Listening Skills for ECPE

Sharon PearceAssessment Manager

Rita Simpson-VlachEducational Materials Developer

6 Strategies

Presented by: Sharon PearceRita Simpson-Vlach, PhD

Webinar Outline

• ECPE Listening Test Overview

• 6 Strategies

• Examples & Activities for Each Strategy

• Q & A

3 parts, 50 items Time: 35-40 minutes • Part 1:

short dialogues with 1 question• Part 2:

single dialogue question, choice of response

• Part 3: radio interviews with 15 questions

Listening Section Format & Content

Focus of the Test QuestionsECPE Listening Skills

Global

• understanding of a conversation or talk as a whole

Local

• understanding supporting detail or vocabulary

Inferential

• drawing conclusions, making predictions, or understanding rhetorical function

A Framework for Focused Listening PracticeOverview of Strategies

• Multiple task types & variations per strategy• Adaptable for learners at all levels• Authentic contexts• Opportunities for peer listening

Listen & Answer QuestionsStrategy 1

Global, local, or inferential skills

Most similar to ECPE tasks

Practice regularly for comprehension checks

Listen & Answer QuestionsStrategy 1

Question types• True/False, Yes/No• Either/Or• Wh-questions: open-ended or multiple choice

Content focus for questions• Factual: specific details/main ideas, purpose, etc.• Prediction/inference• Rhetorical function: speaker’s intent• Cause/effect/reason

Teacher or student-generated questions

Listen & Answer QuestionsStrategy 1 Examples

Task:Listen to the conversation.Think of questions you could ask.• True/False, Yes/No• Wh- questions• Prediction/inference• Rhetorical function

Click here to listen to the audio

Listen & Answer QuestionsStrategy 1 Example

True/False:

Yes/No:

Wh-question:

The man’s flight was delayed.

Did the woman have to wait?

Why was the woman annoyed?

Listen & Answer QuestionsStrategy 1 Example

Inference:

What does the speaker imply about attendance at the library?

Click here to listen to the audio

Listen & Reply/Respond/Select

Strategy 2

Mainly global skills

Shorter conversations or passages

Examples: Listeners identify contexts, purpose, relationships

Select or identify:

settingsspeaker relationshipstopics dialogue responses

Listen & Reply/Respond/Select

Strategy 2 Example

Task:

You will hear a set of dialogue starters with one speaker asking a question. Think about the most likely relationship of the speaker to the person being addressed.

a) Friends/Classmatesb) Co-Workersc) Employee/Customer

Listen & Reply/Respond/SelectStrategy 2 Example

Input form: Most Likely Relationship

Friends/ Classmates Co-workers Employee-

CustomerNotes/ Clues

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Click to listen to the audio file

Listen & Reply/Respond/Select

Strategy 2 Example

Input form with answers:

Most Likely Relationship

Friends/ Classmates Co-workers

Employee-Customer

Notes/ Clues

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3

Local skills (details & vocabulary)

Students listen & read along & fill in the blanks

Highly motivating for all levels

Works with monologues or dialogues

Many possible variations (chart, outline, diagram)

CLOZE: Transcript with missing words/phrases

Listen & Fill In: Preparation Tips

Strategy 3

• Listen ahead of time before selecting words

• Omit words based on part of speech, content vocabulary learned, main ideas/important details of the passage, random selection

• Emphasize content/lexical words

• Scaffolding supports, if needed:

Pause or repeat audio a second time

Provide word bank

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

Task:

Listen to the beginning of a radio interview.

While listening, fill in the blanks with the missing adjectives & adverbs.

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

Neuroscience—the study of how our brains

function—is a rapidly (1)_____________ field.

New techniques and technology have allowed

us to get a glimpse of the (2)__________

workings of the mind. Click here to listen to the audio

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

We still have a lot to learn, but what we've

seen so far is truly (3)___________, and new

discoveries are being made all the time.

William Nichols brings us more on some

recent advances in cognitive science.

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

The human brain is (4)_________ mysterious

to most of us. One area of cognition that's

particularly (5)__________ and that we're

working to better understand is memory. Dr.

Rebecca Perez, a professor of neuroscience,

explains some new research in the field.

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

For several years now, scientists have been

able to remove (6)_________ memories using

drugs, which can be helpful in situations like

psychological trauma, when (7)__________

memories cause problems.

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

But (8)_________, these drugs have also

recently been used by scientists whose

(9)___________ goal is to do the opposite.

They're using these drugs on memory tests

that bring us closer than ever to helping brains

recall memories.

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

Answers:

1. advancing 6. specific

2. inner 7. certain

3. fascinating 8. ironically

4. amazingly 9. ultimate

5. complex

Listen & Fill In

Strategy 3 Example

How would you vary this exercise for your students?

Provide a word bank?

Repeat the passage 2+ times? Pause during playback?

Listen & Write

Strategy 4

Mainly global skills

Listen to passage and write:

A title

A single-sentence summary

An outline or notes

A text or email

A response/reaction/opinion

Listen & Write

Strategy 4 Example

Task: Listen to another radio interview. Choose the best title for the interview from the options below.

a. How the Underwater Section of a Bridge is Builtb. Famous Bridges of New York Cityc. Caisson Disease and the Building of the Brooklyn

Bridged. How a Diving Disease got its Name

Click to listen to the audio file

Listen & Retell

Strategy 5

Global & local listening skills

Dialogues or monologues

Report back: retell main ideas and/or details

Focus on content, not memorizing/reciting

Ideally, plan as an information gap activity

Listen & RetellStrategy 5 Example

1) In 2 large breakout groups, you will hear either: A: a short conversation, or B: the second segment of the interview about

memory research. 2) In smaller breakout groups:

• Retell what you heard to your partner/group.• Include as many details and main ideas as you can

remember.

Task: Breakout Group Demonstration

Ex. A Ex. BClick here to listen to the audio Click here to listen to the audio

Listen & Re-Enact/Expand

Strategy 6

All ECPE listening skills (global, local, inferential)

Dialogues or monologues

Introductory/warm-up option: role play same situation

Advanced option: change some details

Engages students interactively with peer listening

Listen & Re-Enact/Expand

Strategy 6 Example

Task: Listen to a short dialogue between a manager and an employee. With a partner, create and role-play a similar/alternate dialogue by changing:• details of the request• participants/roles• emotion/attitude• response/outcome

Click to listen to the audio file

Final Words

Summary

6 Strategies Framework:Adaptable, versatile

Builds foundational skills, confidenceRelated to ECPE subskills & test tasks

Additional Resources:Podcasts, other online broadcasts

textbooks, teacher recordingspeer listening

Interested in Learning More?

info@michiganassessement.org

Thank You!